On May 15th, 2024, at approximately 1:30 p.m., Officers with the Kinston Police Department received a report of a stolen vehicle in the area of Old Snow Hill Rd. Officers began searching the area and located the car parked in the U.S. Mini Mart parking lot, 1404 Old Snow Hill Rd. Kinston, N.C. 

Officers arrived in the parking lot area, and as they approached the driver, he fled at a high rate of speed. The officers initially lost sight of the vehicle and began searching in the direction it was seen traveling. A short time later, the officers discovered that the vehicle had crashed into a passing car at the intersection of N. Queen St. and Highland Ave. The officers arrived and immediately began providing medical attention to the occupants of both vehicles. 

The driver and passenger of the stolen vehicle were transported to UNC Lenoir. Upon arrival, the passenger, Samaad Williams, 29, of Willow Spring, N.C., was pronounced deceased. The driver, Isaiah Johnson, 25, of Smithfield, N.C., was airlifted to ECU Health Center, where he remains in stable condition. The driver of the secondary vehicle was treated and released from UNC Lenoir. 

At this time, the driver of the vehicle is being charged with Murder and Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle. 

The Kinston Police Department makes it a priority to investigate all crimes perpetrated in our city. We will investigate such cases without compromise for crime and continue to seek assistance from the community we proudly serve.  If anyone has information about this incident, please remember that calls to the Kinston Police Department’s Tips Line at 252-939-4020, Lenoir County Crime Stoppers at 252-523-4444, or through the Tip411 App that is available on both Apple and Android devices are confidential and anonymous. The caller may also be eligible for a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest.